Caught in the Storm
by Anne-Lilian
Summary: Tensions have been rising in the Tree of late, and Gylfie prefers to be by herself, but she can't avoid a certain Tyto forever. One-shot, rated K. Soren/Gylfie
**Gylfie POV**

She wished every night could be like this. But lately, tensions had been running too high at the Tree. It had been a few months since the battle with the Pure Ones, and peace had descended on the Owl Kingdoms. But a time was fast approaching when everything would change. Gylfie remembered her mother telling her of this back before she'd been taken to Saint Aggie's, and she dreaded it now as much as she had then.

Mating season.

In a way, it was sort of romantic, she supposed, since, if you listened to your gizzard carefully, you could meet your soulmate and live happily ever after. Only her gizzard was remaining stubbornly silent. Still, she knew exactly who she would chose as her mate, but… he would never choose her.

Gylfie wasn't entirely certain when her feelings for Soren had started to change from friendship to… something more, but it was long before they had ever arrived at the Tree of Ga'Hoole. He was the most respected Guardian since Lyse of Kiel, a natural leader, and hero of the battle with the Pure Ones. What chance did she have? Especially since lately, Soren had been spending more and more time with Otulissa, who just so happened to be beautiful, a great navigator, and incredibly intelligent.

But tonight was a good night. While most of the young owls were doing crazy things to impress their future mates, or desperately trying to find a mate – all while the older, already mated owls watched on in amusement, and the younger owlets in confusion – Gylfie had decided to spend as much time outside of the Tree. She went to her navigation chaw classes, and attended mealtimes, but aside from that, she was always either reading in the library or out flying. She was nowhere near as good a flyer as Soren or Twilight, but she enjoyed the solitude, and the practise did give her a bit of an edge.

Tonight had been no different. She'd gone to breakfast with the rest of the band, ignored how Soren decided to perch near Otulissa, and went out to fly. It was windy, and a storm was coming, but Gylfie wasn't worried. Ezylryb had trained them all more than enough to know how to navigate in any storm. She didn't particularly enjoy flying in the rain, though, and vowed to return to the Tree or find shelter before the storm reached its peak.

Closing her eyes, Gylfie allowed the wind to carry her where it wanted to, savouring the feeling of the wind under her wings.

"Hey, Gylfie."

Gylfie started, and she had to flap her wings quite a few times to regain her balance. A glance to her right revealed that Soren had been the one to breach her solitude. "Soren, what are you doing here?" she asked, confused. She'd thought that he had a chaw lesson that morning. Or was it that afternoon?

"I saw you out, and figured I'd join you," he said cheerfully. He was always in a good mood, always optimistic. She envied that about him.

"Oh, uhm… alright," she replied, a little uncertainly. Her heart – already going fast from flying in strong winds – beat a little faster. Even just flying next to him was making her flustered.

Soren just smiled, and kept flying, though it was clear that he was loving being out here. He loved flying, and she loved watching him fly. Glaux, was she pathetic, or what?

"So… you've been out a lot lately," Soren said, filling the silence. "Everything alright?" he asked worriedly. Soren truly was a good friend, and Gylfie appreciated the concern, but on the other hand it grated at her that he didn't know that he was the reason for her absence.

"No, everything's alright. It just helps to clear my mind, is all," she offered in the way of a reply. In a way, it was the truth, since usually when she went out flying, she had to concentrate on the stars too intently to think of much else. On this night, however, there were far too many clouds, so she'd have to stay close to the Tree.

A sudden gust of wind brought with it the first few drops of rain, and Gylfie was surprised to note how quickly the storm was coming on. If she turned back to the Tree now, she'd be soaked by the time she got there.

Soren, probably having seen her glance to the Tree, lightly nudged her wing to get her attention. "We should go find shelter if we don't want to get wet," he said, his voice slightly elevated to be heard over the wind. If he was going to start reading her mind, she'd have to find more reasons to avoid him.

"Okay," she called back, "any suggestions?"

Soren looked around for a moment, before banking towards a rock with a single tree on it. It looked sturdy enough, and its roots would provide protection from the wind and rain. "Follow me!" he shouted. Gylfie obliged, but had to struggled against the wind. She was a lot smaller than Soren, and her small stature worked against her.

They flew in and landed near the roots, scooting into the tight space underneath. "It's a little cramped, but we'll be okay," Soren said, putting a wing around Gylfie to keep her warm. She repressed a shudder at his proximity, and hoped he didn't notice how nervous she was. He looked down at her. "Are you cold? You're shivering," he said, winding his wing closer around her. She wasn't cold, if anything, she was getting pretty warm.

"I'm okay… I don't know how you do it, though," she sighed, focussing on a pebble near her claws.

"Do what?" Soren asked, sounding confused.

Gylfie ruffled her feathers slightly, feeling uncomfortable. "Flying out there like that. I can manage okay in a storm, but it's hard work. You always look like you're enjoying it, like… like you're finally free," she tried to explain. Yet another thing she wasn't good at; words. Twilight could make up a rhyme about anything, and even Digger always knew what to say to make others laugh, and Soren… Soren's words could inspire even the most reluctant owl. Gylfie could stand up for what she believed in, but she was no wordsmith.

"I hadn't really thought about it," Soren admitted. Gylfie risked a look at his face, and he did look thoughtful. "I love flying. When I'm in a storm, I can't think, I just have to trust my gizzard to guide me through. And it always does."

"I wish my gizzard had more to say," Gylfie mumbled resentfully. Maybe if the damn thing would make some noise, she'd finally be able to figure out who her soulmate was, and she could finally move on from this crush she had on Soren.

Soren chuckled. "You should be glad. I've heard everyone complaining about how it doesn't shut up, but they don't know what it's saying either. I guess it's just the time of year, huh?"

"You're one to talk," she said with a small smile. "You're so connected to your gizzard all the time. The rest of us have enough trouble figuring out what it says on a normal day, let alone now. You make everything seem so easy, and you're good at everything." She stopped talking then, realizing how much she'd actually said. "I mean… I…" She sighed. She might as well tell him. Maybe getting this off her chest would help? She couldn't look at him, though, so she kept her eyes on the pebble. "I admire you so much, and…" She couldn't do it. She couldn't say it, what if he thought she was weird, or disgusting?

"Are you talking to me or to that pebble?" Soren asked, a smile in his voice.

Gylfie gave him a slight shove. "You're not funny, you should leave that to Digger," she said, unable to help the smile that formed.

"Gylfie… I'm not… I'm not that special," he said, sounding a lot more serious. She finally looked up at him then. He wasn't looking at her either, instead inspecting a patch of moss on the root overhead. "I'm just me, just… me."

"Soren, maybe you are just you, but don't you realize how special you are? You're the best flyer in the Tree, you're a natural leader, and you defeated Metalbeak, bringing peace back to the owl Kingdoms. Sounds pretty amazing to me," she said, nudging him and smiling softly.

He looked down, and his amber eyes stared into hers. "I love you," she blurted out. Oh no, what had she done? Soren looked so surprised, he wasn't even saying anything! "I mean… no, I meant that. I love you. But I understand that you don't feel the same, I mean, why would you? _I'm_ just _me_ , and you're the most respected owl since Lyse of Kiel," she babbled. Once again, her talons were the most interesting thing in the small space, as she couldn't look him in the eye.

"How could you say that?" he whispered, and Gylfie winced. Of course he was disgusted. Of course he thought she was- "Gylfie, you're the most amazing owl I know."

Wait, what?

"You're the best tracker, and you may not be the biggest owl, but you could take anyone. You stand up for what you believe in, and you never let anyone fool you. You came with me to defeat the Pure Ones, and more than held your own against the bats. How could you possibly say that you're _just_ you?"

Gylfie looked up at him, amazed. He really thought that? He was smiling again, an emotion in his eyes that she couldn't quite identify. "You know, for an owl as smart as you are, you can come to some pretty silly conclusions. You always have a kind word for everyone, and you're so patient with the owlets… and without you, I'd be dead a hundred times over. Gylfie, how could I think you're not special?"

Gylfie had no idea what to say, she just stared at him, trying to comprehend what he was telling her.

"You know why I came out here today? I wanted to ask you to become my mate, before anyone else did."

"You choose me?" she whispered. There was a big ball of emotion working itself through her, growing and consuming her until there was nothing else. And suddenly, she realized why her gizzard hadn't been pointing her towards her soulmate. She'd already found him.

"How could I choose anyone else? How could any other owl ever compare?" he asked.

"But, I thought… You and Otulissa…" she stammered.

"We're just friends. You… you make me nervous, Gylfie. I wasn't sure how to approach you, and Otulissa offered to help."

Gylfie really needed a moment to figure out what was going on, and to catch her breath. "I thought she hated me."

Soren laughed. "No. Well, she didn't like you much at first, and then she was jealous. You were brave, and kind, and determined, and she envied that," he explained.

"Otulissa _envied_ me? Now that's hard to believe…" Gylfie said, looking down again. Although, it did make sense, in a way. Otulissa was always trying to best her in the navigation chaw, always trying to seem like the better owl…

"Gylfie?"

She looked up, suddenly pulled back to the present. "Sorry? Did you say something?"

Soren smiled. "I wanted to ask – to properly ask… would you be my mate?" he asked, looking more shy than she'd ever seen him.

Gylfie's heart sored. "Yes, yes, of course!" she said, happier than she could remember ever being.

Soren laughed, and folded his other wing around her, enveloping her in his embrace. Gylfie had never felt safer.

They stayed like that, virtually entwined, watching the storm as it raged outside. It was nearly sunrise by the time the wind had slowed down enough for them to make it back. And neither Gylfie nor Soren could stop smiling the whole flight back.

"Look at you two, back so late. You know, if you wanted privacy, all you had to do was ask," Digger joked as they landed in their hollow.

Gylfie ducked her head, but didn't reply. If only Digger knew how close he was to the truth.

"Oh stop it, Digger," Twilight admonished. "No one is in the mood for your jokes."

"I think you're confusing my jokes for your poetry, Twilight," Digger shot back.

Gylfie smiled at their bickering. That, at least, was familiar. Mrs. P. and Eglantine were nowhere in sight, so they must be at Noctus and Marella's hollow, probably fast asleep already. Otulissa, however, was perched on her bed of moss, watching them intently. "What's with the smiles?" she asked.

Digger and Twilight stopped mid-sentence, and turned to watch Gylfie and Soren as well. Gylfie didn't know what to say, and ducked her head again, but Soren wasn't so shy. He put his wing around her and beamed at their friends. "I asked Gylfie to become my mate, and she was crazy enough to say yes," he said proudly.

Twilight's eyebrows shot up, and Digger cocked his head. "We're very happy for you two. It was a long time coming, after all," Twilight said grandly.

"Yeah, congratulations, you two," Digger said, grinning widely at them.

Otulissa glided down gracefully and landed in front of Gylfie. "Well. I'm glad he finally plucked up the courage. He's been nagging at me for ages. You'd think that after defeating Metalbeak, asking you to be his mate wouldn't scare him, but maybe he's not as brave as we all thought," she said, but the smile her face betrayed her. "I'm happy for you."

Gylfie nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Otulissa."

"No need," she replied, a mischievous light in her eyes. "He's your problem now."

Twilight and Digger roared with laughter, as Soren complained, but his own grin belied his hurt tone. He seemed as happy as Gylfie was. And having his wing still safely tucked around her, helped.

Looking around at their band, Gylfie was… happy. Plain and simple. Her friends were all alright, the peace was strong as ever, and Soren had chosen her as his mate. She sighed. Perhaps that happily ever after was in her future after all.

/*/

 **Epilogue:**

It was finally time. Soren was flying as fast as he could, hoping he wouldn't be late. He just couldn't be late!

Finally, his hollow came in sight, and he breathed a sigh of relief. As he landed, the first thing he saw was Gylfie. She was as beautiful as always, even as she watched something he couldn't see intently.

"Am I too late?" Soren asked anxiously, walking closer so he could see around her.

Gylfie smiled up at him. "No, just in time," she said, moving aside to reveal their nest. And the single egg that lay inside it. Soren smiled at his wife as he settled next to her. The egg was rocking gently, but there was no crack visible yet.

"You're sure it's going to be okay?" Soren asked, never taking his eyes off his egg. Given their difference in size, Gylfie had had some trouble when she first lay the egg, but she assured him that she was alright. That didn't stop him from worrying though.

"It's going to be fine," Gylfie said, rolling her eyes at him. "Our little one's strong, it'll be okay."

Soren wasn't convinced. What if the little owlet couldn't break the shell? What if something had gone wrong, and they hadn't noticed? What if–

Soren's mental ramble was interrupted by the sound of a sharp crack. He held his breath. Soren desperately wanted to help his little one break through the shell, but he knew that it wouldn't help the little owlet in the long run. They had to do it by themselves. It was the test of Glaux, and if they could do it, they would be granted the strength to live. So, Soren kept his talons to himself, and just watched the egg anxiously.

Gylfie was a lot more relaxed, though Soren had no idea how she could be so calm about this. Their first egg was about to hatch!

"Look," she whispered, as a tiny beak appeared through one of the cracks in the shell. The egg fell over, and only Gylfie's extended wing kept him from rushing over and righting it.

Soon, a tiny paw managed to get out, and then another one. The egg shell broke in two, and the little owlet was finally born.

"It's a girl," Gylfie whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Pride surged through Soren, and he finally let go of all the tension he'd been feeling since he'd been informed that his egg was about to hatch. He had a daughter, and she was okay!

The chick chirped quietly, and Gylfie gently nudged it upright onto the moss. She was so incredibly tiny and pink, with a smattering of damp, white feathers sticking to her skin. She was perfect.

"Look at her, Soren. She's ours, our little girl," Gylfie said, a loving gaze in her eyes.

Soren was bursting with pride and happiness, and he just couldn't sit still. "I should go get her some food, she's probably hungry, isn't she?" he said, filled with nervous energy.

Gylfie laughed. "Soren, give her a moment to catch her breath, breaking through a shell is hard work! Why don't you go see your parents and tell them the good news?"

"I'm fairly sure the entire Tree already knows with how loudly Digger was shouting for me," Soren said fondly. He was unable to keep his eyes off his daughter. He couldn't believe he was a dad now! And to think he'd almost missed this! He'd been about to go out with a patrol when Digger had found him and told him the good news.

"What are we going to call her?" Gylfie asked, eyes also locked on their daughter. She was still now, probably having fallen asleep. If it hadn't been for the obvious movement of her chest, Soren might have panicked again.

"I don't know…" he said in response to his wife's question. "How about Adva? She's tiny after all."

Gylfie finally tore her gaze away from their daughter to glare at him. "We are not naming our daughter based on her size!" she protested. Right. Gylfie could be a bit sensitive about that too.

"Then what do you suggest?" he asked. They probably should have discussed names before the chick was born, but they hadn't really thought about it.

"How about… Nyx?" she asked.

Soren considered the name. Nyx. It was a good, strong name, fit for a future hero of the Tree of Ga'Hoole. "I love it," he said, nuzzling his wife gently.

Gylfie smiled at him and went to perch closer to their owlet, lending her some much needed warmth. "Go talk to your parents, Soren, tell them to come see their granddaughter," she said fondly.

Soren wasted no time, but as he got ready to fly out of their hollow, he noticed that there were a lot of owls perched outside their home, trying to look far too nonchalant. He shook his head. He'd been right about the whole Tree knowing about this, and everyone was curious about the child of two of Ga'Hoole's heroes.

"It's a strong girl, you nosy owls," he said loudly. A few of them jumped at the sudden noise and more than a couple looked a bit sheepish, but he didn't blame them.

Soren laughed and flew towards his parents' hollow. Eglantine would be ecstatic, and his parents would be so proud. As he landed at the entrance, he glanced behind him. A few more owls were crowding the entrance to his own hollow, but he didn't mind. Life honestly couldn't get any better than this, with friends and family surrounding them, and the peace as strong as ever. And one day, he'd tell little Nyx all about her heritage, about how brave her mother had been, and how her 'uncles' Digger and Twilight had fought fiercely in battle to create a peaceful future. A future Soren had helped build for his daughter, so that she could grow up safely, and happy.

He smiled to himself. He truly had everything he wanted. What more could he ask for?

/*/

 **A/N: This is my first Legend of the Guardians fic, so bear with me. I haven't read the books, though I did read the wikipedia pages of most of the characters, so you might notice a few tiny references. I do hope I managed to capture the characters's personalities at least a little, and that you enjoyed this!**

 **Adva means "small wave, ripple" in Hebrew, and Nyx comes from Greek mythology and means "night".**


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